Fire-prevention apparatus for oil-tanks.



c UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

OSCAR JHOLMES, oF sT. LoUIs7 MIssoUEI.

'- FIRE-PREVENTION APPARATUSFOR OIL-TANKS.

f citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented cer. tain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Prevention Apparatus for Oil-Tanks, of which the following is a specification containingV a full, clear, and exact description,l

Vreference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My lnvention relates to an improved iire prevention apparatus for oil tanks, and consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and speciically designated in the appended claims.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a novel combination of gas exhausters for oil tanks (such as that shown and described in my U. S. Patent No. 1,136,230,

, -dated April 20, 1915), with a fire apparatus for oil tanks (such as that shown and described in my U. S. Patent No. 1,142,520, dated June 8, 1915), whereby both the gas exhausting and the fire-extinguishing apparatus will be eifectually combined in a single apparatus, and may be used either as a gasexhauster or a fire-extinguishing apparatus, as required.

Referring again to the drawings, the gnre is a vertical section of a portion of a common oil-tank, having my invention applied thereto.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, 1 indicates an oil-tank commonly used for the storage of crude oil and the likeand 2 designates a suitable oat supported bythe oil within said tank. Said float 2 may be of any desired material and size to support the upper end of an eXtensible-pipe 3 and a spreading cap on nozzle 4 at the upper end of said extensible-pipe, at or near the surface of the oil, so that disturbance of the oil will not cause the oil to enter the upper end of said pipe.w Said extensible-pipe may be. of any common construction adapted for the purpose of permitting said float to rise and fall with the oil, and the lower section of.

said extensible-pipe passes through an aperture in the bottom of said tank, and is connected to a horizontal pipe 5, which is located on the exterior of ,saidV oil-tank, and may be (as shown) buried in the earth beneath said oil-tank, or otherwise disposed in any common manner, forthe purpose of permitting ready access tothe said pipe. The said horizontal Apipe 5, when used in Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

Applicatie-n iled September 2, 1915. I Serial No. 48,637. l

connection with large tanks, is extended (as shown) a distance beyond the point of connection with the said extensible-pipe 3, so that a plurality (or duplication) oflthe said eXtensible-pipe and floats may be connected 1n a like manner to the said horizontal pipe, the number of such duplications depending upon the size of the tank; larger tanks requiring a larger number of floats and` extensible-pipes than smaller tanks. At the left-hand end of said horizontal pipe 5 is a three-way valve 6 of commony construction. Connecting said three-Wayvalve 6 to a steam-boiler 7 (which may be of any desired known form) are the pipes 8 and 9, and an additional three-way valve 10. Another pipe, 11, is connected to the said threeway valve -10 and extends therefrom into (in the present instance) the ash-pit of the said steam-boiler. A common steam-ejector 12 is connected in the said pipe 11, for the purpose of creating a partial vacuum in the said pipes 11, 9, 5 and 3, when it is desired to exhaust vthe gas from said oil-tank 1 by suction. Steam for operating the said steamejector is supplied by a pipe 13 extending. from said pipe 8 to the said ejector, .and passage of steam to the ejector is controlled by a valve 14.

In the present instance there is a clear passage for the gas through the said steamejector, so that when the handles of threeway valves 6 and 10 are adjusted in thc proper manner the heavier gases from the space above the oil in the said oil-tank, may fi'ow by gravity into the said eXtensible-pipe 3, thence into the horizontal pipe 5, thence through said three-way valve casing 6, to the said pipe 9, thence through said valve 10, thence into pipe 11, and through the said steam-ejector 12 into the ash-pan or ash-pit of the said steam-boiler 7, and be drawn up the smoke-stack of said boiler and be discharged into the air; or said gases may be burned in the said boiler, for the purpose of generating steam; or the gases may be taken from the Said pipe 11 and stored in a common tank (not shown); orv the said gases may be recondensed, and thereby saved, as maj,7 be desired. Opening the steam-valve 14 of the said steam-ejector 12, will, of course, hasten the exhaustion of the gases.l

I will now describe in detail my improved fire-apparatus for oil-tanks. When it is feared that the gases and oil inthe tank 1 maybe'lired by an approach-v ing thunder-storm, the handle of the said three-way valve l10 may be turned (in the present instance) to the left, thereby closing the entrance to the said pipe 11, and permitting a -large volume of steam under pressure `to ow from the said steam-boiler into pipe 9, three-way valve 6, horizontal pipe 5, and extensible-pipe 3, into the space above the oil in said oil-tank, where said steam will mingle with the gases and render them non-explosive. In case the gases or oil have already been ignited by lightning (or from any other cause) the steam thus discharged into and among the gases will, in many cases, extinguish the lire and vsave the contents of the tank.

The steam, in issuing from the upper end of the said-extensible-pipe 3, will strike the spreading-cap 4 and be thereby spread over ythe surface of the'oil and protect the same from the fire.

The numeral 15 indicates a common reextinguisher tank in whichis the usual alkaline solution. Said tank 15 is, in the presentinstance, buried in the ground, but of course said tank lmay be located above the ground when so desired. Also located within said tank 15, above the alkaline liquid therein, is a common acid-containing vessel 16, which is adapted to contain the usual acid to be mixed with said alkaline solution in generating ay gas for the purpose .of forcibly ejecting -said alkaline solution from `said tank, in case of re. Said acidcontainer 16 is open at its top, so that the acid may be Suddenly dropped into the said alkaline-solution below it, by removing the supporting-hook 17 from-one end of said acid-container, and thereby permitting it to swing downwardly upon its hinge 18 and allow the acid to pass into said alkaline solution. Said supporting-hook 17 engages beneath a lug 18vonsaid acid-container, to support the free end of the latter in its normal position. The body of said supporting-hook 17 passes through a stuffing-box 19 upon the upper end of said tank 15, and extends a distance above the tank, where it is provided with another hook or lateral projection 20. The lateral projection 20 at the upper end of said supporting-hook 17 normally is engaged by another lateral projection 21 formed on the lower end of a rock-lever 22 pivoted at 23 to a bracket 24 fixed upon the upper head of said tank 15. A rod 25 extends from the upper end of said rock-lever to the handle 26 of the said three-way Valve 6, and a rope or cable 27 top of the oil-tank. Achain carrying a number of fusible links 34 has its upper end connectedto the said rope or cable 27 within the oil-tank 1. Said chain has a counterbalance weight 35 at its lower end, and is suspendedl from the said rope o r cable 27, within said oil-tank. A weight 36 is f'suspended from the free end of the handle 26 of the said three-way valve 6, to act asa counter-balance to the said weight 35 within said oil-tank.

In some cases I may desire to produce and deliver a more efficient lire-extinguishing fluid than that produced by the .said fire-extinguisher tank 15, and so I here show an additionaltank 37 located in the earth near to the said tank 15 and partially lled with a foam producing liquid 38 of common constituency. A pipe 39 passes through the upper ends of both the tanks 15 and 37 and extends therein to a point near the bottoms of said tanks. A continuation yof the horizontal pipe 5- extends from the upper end of the said tank 37 to the said three-way valve 6.

The operation of my improved fire-extinguishing apparatus located beneath the surface of the ground, and connected as described, is entirely automatic; although it is evident the same may be worked by hand,

' .when desired. l

Should a fire occur within said oil-tank 1, the fusible link 34 will immediately be destroyed by the heat, and permit the counterbalance 35 to fall to the bottom of the oil-tank. This will release the weight 36 carried by the said handle 26 of the said ythree-way Valve 6, and said handle will be carry itsfree end downwardly a suicient distance to disengage said supporting-hookl from a lugjor projection 18 on said container, whereupon thesaid container -will empty its acid into the alkaline liquid of the ysaid tank 15, and the usual gas will be generated in the latter. This gas will instantly force the alkaline liquid-out of said tank 15 by way of said pipe 39 into the adjacent foam tank 37, where a more eiicient fire- .extinguishing fluid will be generated by the agitation of the foam liquid 38 in Said tank 37. From said tank y37 the fire-extinguishing liquid will be forced through the extension' of the Said horizontal pipe 5, thence through said three-way valve 6 to the said horizontal pipe, and from thence upwardly through said extensible-pipe 3 to the space in said oil-tank above the oil therein. The upon makingits exit from the upper end of the said eXtensible-pipe 3, Will come in contact With the overhanging spreading-capii, and be thereby spread over the surface of the oil and protect thesame from the lire, as Well as extinguish the fire above the said oil.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States therefor, is:

l. In' a ire prevention apparatus for oil tanks, the combination with means, for exhausting gas, from a tank, comprising an intake Within the tank and means for maintaining it at about the plane of the oil level,

of a fire extinguisher connected With saidl gas exhausting means to discharge through said intake.

2. In a lire prevention apparatus for oil tanks, the combination with a gas exhaustlire-extinguishing liquid,

ing means comprising an intake Within the tank and means for automatically maintaining said intake at or about the plane of the oil level, of an automatic lire extinguisher connected with said gas exhausting` means to discharge through said intake.

3. The combination with an oil tank, of a main pipe, an extension pipe connected to said main pipe and located in said tank, a ioat to which the upper portion of said extensible pipe is attached, so that said float 'and said upper portion of said extensible name to this specilication, in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

. osoARf HOLMES.

- `Witnesses:

E. L. WALLACE, JOHN C. HIGDoN. 

